Various electric fireplaces are known, providing flame simulation effects with varying degrees of success. In many, the electric fireplace includes a screen with front or rear surfaces that are formed or treated so that, across their entire areas, light that is directed therethrough is diffused. Typically, light is directed onto the rear surface of the screen to provide images of flames. The prior art electric fireplace imposes certain limits on the possible arrangements of the elements thereof. The flame simulation effects provided by the typical electric fireplace may tend to be somewhat unconvincing, depending on the observer's perspective.